Rail-bond



(No Model) P. H. DANIELS. RAIL BOND.

No. 582,849. Patented May-18, 1897.

@ a 3 W Z @5 7 8 g 7 Mi? W g 5 m 25mm UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

FRED H. DANIELS, OF \VOROESTER, MASSAUHUSETTS.

RAIL-BOND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,849, dated May 18, 1897.

Application filed February 10, 1897. Serial No: 622,826. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, FEED H. DANIELs, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVorcester, in the county of WVorcester and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Bonds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to rail-bonds for electric railways, &c.; and the object of my in- IO vention is to improve upon the construction of rail-bonds as ordinarily made, and more particularly to make a flexible or non-rigid rail-bond comprising a flexible bond or connector, preferably made of copper-wire rope or strands of copper wire twisted together, and two terminals or ends, which are secured to the rails and which are made separate from and independent of the Wire-rope bond or connector proper, but are secured thereto in such a manner as to make an absolute union and be practically integral therewith.

In making my improved rail-bond the two terminals or ends of the bond are secured to the flexible bond or connector proper in a 2 5 heated state by pressure, which welds the terminals to the bond to make them substantially integral therewith, as will be here inafter fully described.

I have shown in the drawings my rail-bond,

having the bond or connector proper flattened throughout its length and adapted to extend between the rails and the fish-plate, but it will be understood that my rail-bond may be of ordinary length to extend upon the outside of the fish-plate, in which case the bond or connector intermediate the ends would not be flattened.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side view of the adjacent ends of two rails having my rail-bond applied thereto and showing a fish-plate partially broken away around the bond. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrow a, same figure. Fig. 3 is a side view of one end of the bond, looking in the direction of arrow 1), Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is an end view looking in the direction of arrow 0, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section on line 5 5, Fig. 4, looking in the direction of arrow Z),

same figure. Figs. 3, 4t, and 5 show the terminal or end of the bond and the connector before the same are secured together. Fig.

6 is an end view looking in the direction of arrow d, Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a central vertical section on line 7 7, Fig. 6, looking in the direction of arrow 0, same figure. Figs. 6 and 7 show the terminal or end of the bond and the connector after the same are secured together and the drift pin-hole is drilled therein. Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, are shown on an enlarged scale.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 are the adjacent ends of two rails, 3 and 4c the fish-plates by which the rail ends are joined together, and 5 and (3 bolts for securing the fish-plates to the rails.

My rail-bond consists of the two terminals or ends 7 and the intermediate flexible body portion or connector 8, which is preferably made of copper-wire rope or strands of copper wire twisted together.

My rail-bond is preferably made by first making the terminal or end of the shape shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, having the cylindrical portion 7 to extend through a hole in the rail-web and the head 7 curved in crosssection, as shown in Fig. 8, and provided with a cylindrical hole 9, which in this instance extends therethrough to receive the end S of the cylindrical wire rope S. The hole 9 need not extend through the head 7 but may be closed at its outer end. After the end 8 of the wire rope 8 is inserted in the opening or the cylindrical hole 9 in the terminal or end 7, as shown in Fig. t, then the head 7 and the end of the rope Sin a heated state are subject to great pressure, and at the same time a punch makes a hole in the top of the terminal or end 7 and is forced into the wire rope 8 to divide the strands thereof and spread them. The head of the terminal and end of the wire rope are compressed and flattened and welded together to make them substantially integral and form an absolute union, as shown in Fig. 7, without any joint or opening between the end of the wire rope 8 and the terminal or end 7. Afterward a hole 10, preferably provided with a double taper, as shown in Fig. 7, is drilled or made through the terminal or end to receive a drift-pin or taper-tool (not shown) to secure the terminal or end in the rail. 1

In practice both terminals or ends may be compressed at the same time and the connector intermediate the ends also flattened so as to extend between the rail-web and fishplate, as shown in Fig. 2, in case the rail-bond is to be used in this way. If it is to be used 011 the outside of the flslrplates, then only the heads of the terminals or ends and the ends of the wire rope will be flattened.

The advantages of my improved rail-bond will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. It is of very simple consin'uct-ion, and the terminals or ends are so compressed and welded by pressure upon the ends of the wire rope that they are practically in one piece, and therefore the ends of the wire rope cannot work loose or jar out and the conductivity is perfect.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An improved article of manufacture, a flexible rail-bond, comprising a flexible body portion, and two terminals or ends made separate from the flexible body portion, and se cured thereto by pressure to be substantially integral therewith, substantially as shown and described.

2. A rail-bond for electric railways, &c., consisting of two terminals or ends, and a flexible body portion between said terminals, which are secured or welded to the ends of the body portion, and made substantially integral therewith by pressure, substantially as shown and described.

3. A rail-bond for electric railways, &c., consisting of two terminals or ends, having a hole therein for a drift-pin or taper-tool, and a flexible or wire-rope body portion between said terminals, which have holes therein to receive the ends of the wire rope, and are secured or welded thereto to be substantially integral therewith, by pressure, substantially as shown and described.

4:. In a rail-bond, the combination with a flexible body portion, of two terminals or ends made separate therefrom, and secured or welded thereto by pressure, so as to be substantially integral therewith, substantially as shown and described.

FRED Il'. DANIELS.

XVitnesses:

J. C. Dn'wnv, M. .T. GALVIN. 

